DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING AN EDUTAINMENT-BASED INTERVENTION TO ENHANCE CONTENTMENT AND LIFESTYLE ASPIRATIONS AMONG FEMALE ADOLESCENTS IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL, IMO STATE

Abstract

It is widely believed that educating a girl equates to educating an entire generation, as today’s girls grow into tomorrow’s women and mothers, bearing the inherent responsibility of nurturing lives. Therefore, this study seeks to explore how carefully curated edutainment intervention can reposition their thought pattern and modify their behaviour. The research employed a mixed-method approach, combining surveys, focus group discussions, edutainment workshop, observations and questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 300 adolescents, drawn from two Government Girls’ Secondary Schools within Owerri Municipal. Eric Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Data analysis revealed that exposure to edutainment content had a significant positive impact on their sense of satisfaction with life and aspirations for the future. The post-test conducted at the conclusion of the workshop revealed a strong commitment from majority of the participants to abandon identified antisocial behaviours and embrace virtues that will guide them toward becoming well-rounded and successful adults in the near future. Qualitative feedback further suggested that edutainment approaches resonated more deeply with these adolescents than conventional instructional methods. The study concludes that edutainment is an effective tool to engage female adolescents and recommends its integration into educational curricula, youth development programs, and community sensitization campaigns. It also suggests further research into the long-term effects of edutainment interventions across different cultural contexts in Nigeria.